ARLINGTON, Va. — Bottoms up! Sales at Northern Virginia ABC stores have increased during the pandemic.
In data provided by Virginia's Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, numbers show sales at its Northern Virginia stores increased by more than 65% during the first week of the pandemic – March 15-22 – and have continued to show significant increases in most weeks since then.
- March 22-28: up 14%
- March 29 to April 4: up 19%
- April 5 to 11: up 22%
- April 12 to 18: up 3%
- April 19 to 25: up 20%
- April 26 to May 2: up 4%
So we know Virginians are drinking during the pandemic, but what exactly are they drinking?
During March and April, the best-selling brand at Northern Virginia ABC stores was Tito’s Handmade Vodka – yes, you read that correct – with about 2.5 times the sales of the next best-selling brand, Jack Daniels 7 Black whiskey.
Just last week, Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) announced they are now offering curbside pickup for online orders at 15 stores in Northern Virginia.
The new service will allow for contactless pickup of spirits, Virginia wines and mixers from select ABC stores the same day the online order is placed, as long as an inventory of the selected products is available in the store. Customers, officials said, can take advantage of curbside service by following these steps:
- Visit the Virginia ABC website www.abc.virginia.gov.
- Select a store that offers curbside pickup.
- Place an order online at least two hours in advance of pickup.
- Schedule a pickup time.
“Curbside service is one of many modifications we have made to our store operations to ensure customer and employee safety,” ABC Chief Executive Officer Travis Hill said in a press release. “Customer convenience is always a priority, and we expect to provide this service well after the need for social distancing has subsided.”
Currently, 15 stores in the Northern Virginia area offer curbside pickup service:
- Falls Church, 7121 Leesburg Pike
- Herndon, 378 Elden St.
- Arlington, 1922 Wilson Blvd.
- Leesburg, 506-A Fort Evans Road NE
- Vienna, 8413 Old Courthouse Road
- Vienna, 436 East Maple Ave.
- McLean, 1445-B Chain Bridge Road
- Gainesville, 7555 Linton Hall Road
- Warrenton, 175 West Lee Highway
- Purcellville, 1020 East Main St.
- Reston, 1454 North Point Village Shopping Center
- Sterling, 100 Edds Lane
- Centreville, 5109 Westfields Blvd.
- Alexandria, 4349 Duke St.
- Dulles, 24570 Dulles Landing Drive, Unit 100